Posting device



y 9, 1956 M. B. HALL 2,747,895

POSTING DEVICE Filed March 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 COLLECTION J OURNAL M. B. HALL POSTING DEVICE May 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1953 POSTING DEVICE Marchand Blanchard Hall, Chicago, Ill. Application March 26, 1953, Serial No. 344,845 6 Claims. (Cl. 282-29) This invention relates to posting devices and more particularly to a device adapted to support a plurality of printed blanks or forms in predetermined relative positions for making entries thereon, to facilitate the transfer of entries from an original sheet to one or more other sheets, to facilitate multiple record bookkeeping, etc.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a posting device adapted for use in making simultaneous entries on a specially prepared individual form and upon a ledger sheet, or for transferring entries from one form to another form. To facilitate posting operations, an individual form is adapted to be accurately positioned on a plurality of fixed pins provided on the device, and the ledger sheet is secured to a carriage adapted to be moved step by step to move a horizontal column on the ledger sheet into registry with a selected horizontal column on the individual form.

While devices of this type have heretofore been provided with means for moving record forms relative to each other for posting or transferring entries thereon, the present invention contemplates the provision of carriage means which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and operation, and adapted to accurately align record forms in proper relative positions for making and/ or transferring entries.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a carriage operating mechanism manually operable to move the carriage either step by step or the entire length of the device, if desired.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a posting device embodying a slotted guide bar to support the carriage for movement longitudinally thereof, the member having spaced guide flanges formed with equidistantly spaced wedge-shaped abutments adapted to be engaged by serrated wheels provided on opposite sides of an operating wheel, said wheels being secured on a common shaft rotatably mounted in slots formed in the carriage and urged toward their respective guide flanges by a resilient member.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a posting device in which a carriage is provided with spaced upper and lower walls straddling the slotted guide bar, the walls having inturned flanges which are maintained in sliding engagement with parallel guide surfaces on the guide bar by the force exerted by the resilient member in maintaining the serrated wheels against the abutments on the guide flanges.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a carriage having a plurality of pins fixed thereon to project upwardly through apertured ledger sheets which are then engaged against upward displacement from the carriage by means of an apertured bar mounted on the pins.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

nite States Pat n Fig. l is a top plan view illustrating a posting device embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of same.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of same.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, partly in section, illustrating the manner in which the carriage is mounted upon the guide bar, and the manually operative means provided for moving the carriage along the bar.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, the posting device is shown as comprising a board 2 having a flat upper writing surface 3 adapted to support printed individual forms A and ledger sheets B for relative movement between the upper and lower ends of the board. A plurality of pads 4 are secured to the lower face of the board to support the latter in spaced relation upon a desk surface 5.

A plurality of equidistantly spaced pins 6 are mounted in alignment along one side of the board and project upwardly from the writing surface 3 for engagement in apertures 7 formed in the individual forms A. A guide bar 8 extends along the other side of the board and is shown as comprising spaced parallel upper and lower guide flanges 9 and 11 joined together along their inner edges by a connecting web 12. An attachment flange 13 projects outwardly from the web 12 and is secured against the underside of the board 2 by means of rivets 14.

Equidistantly spaced wedge-shape abutments 16 and 17 are formed on the outer edges of the guide flanges 9 and 11, respectively, for engagement by axially spaced knurled wheels 18 and 19, respectively, keyed to an axle 21. interposed between the knurled wheels 18 and 19 and keyed to the axle for common rotational movement with the wheels is provided an operating wheel 22 formed on its periphery with circumferentially spaced grooves 23 and having flat parallel side walls for snug sliding engagement between the guide flanges 9 and 11. The axle 21 is formed with journal portions 24-24 adjacent the outer sides of the knurled wheels 18 and 19 and also provided with relatively large rounded heads 26-26 at it's ends.

Slidably mounted upon the guide bar 8 is provided a carriage 27, preferably blanked and formed from sheet metal, comprising spaced top and bottom walls 28 and 29 joined together along their outer edges by a web 31, said walls being in snug slidable engagement with the outer remote surfaces of their related guide flanges 9 and 11. The inner ends of the top and bottom walls 28 and 29 are bent toward each other to provide guide flanges 32 and 33, respectively, for sliding engagement against guide surfaces 34 and 36, respectively, formed on the guide bar 8.

The web 31 is formed with an opening 37 to receive the knurled wheels 18 and 19 and the operating wheel 22, the top and bottom walls 28 and 29 being formed with slots 38-38 extending transversely of the carriage 27 to snugly receive the journal portions 24-24 of the axle 21. A length of resilient wire is bent intermediate its end'to provide a compression spring 40 having a pair of resilient legs 39-39 and a connecting loop 41, each leg being formed intermediate its ends with an arcuate seat portion 42 to engage its respective journal portion 24 to yieldably resist movement of the journal portions 24-24 of the axle 21 outwardly in the slots 38, so as to keep the knurled wheels 18 and 19 from moving out of engagement with their respective abutments 16 and 17, the

Patented May 29, 1956 loop and the free ends of said legs being engaged against the inner side of the Web 31.

A plurality of equidistantly spaced pins 43 are secured in alignment to the top wall 28 and project outwardly therefrom for insertion through apertures Ail-provided in a ledger sheet B which is'adapted to beheld flat against the top wall 28 by means of a clamping bar 46 formed with apertures 47 to receive their respective pins 43.

In the operation of the device, a ledger sheet B is first placed upon the writing surface 3 of the board 2, with the pins 43 inserted through apertures 44 in the sheet, and the clamping bar 46 is then positioned over the sheet to clamp the perforated marginal portion of the latter against the top wall 23 of the carriage 27. Individual forms A may then be mounted upon the .pins darranged along the opposite side of the board, on opposite sides of the ledger sheet B, with carbonpaper C interposed therebetween. When the forms A and sheet B are thus arranged, their horizontalcolumns 48 and 49, respectively, are aligned, and any data written upon the upper form A are transferred by the carbon paper C to the .ledgersheet B and lower form A.

,In making entries on additional individual forms A, such forms may be arranged in the same position on the board as the preceding forms andtheledger sheet B may be advanced step by step by manual rotation of the operation Wheel 22 to provide a continuous row of entries upon the ledger sheet, in a manner well known in the art.

Following each step by step movement of the carriage 27, it is essential that the columns 49 on the ledger sheet are properly aligned with the columns 48 on the forms A. This is accomplished by having the spacing between the lines defining the horizontal columns 48 and 4? correspond to the spacing between the abutments16-17, and by having the peripheries of the knurled wheels 18-19 engaging and bridging their respective adjacent abutments.

It will also be noted that the carriage -27 is not apt to be accidentally moved from its selected position, as the compression spring 40 must be further stressed to efiect movement of the knurled wheels over their-engaged abutments. To permit rapid'movernent of the carriage 27 from one end of the board toward the opposite end, the heads 26--26 on the axle 21 may be manually engaged between a thumb and finger of the user to move the journal portions 24-24 of the axle 21 outwardly in the slots 38, thus moving the knurled wheels 18-19 out of engagement with their respective abutments 16 and .17.

While this invention hasbeen shown in but oneform, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changesandrmodifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a posting device, a board having a writing surface, a guide bar secured along a side edge of said board and having an inner guide surface parallel to and spaced from said edge, equidistantly spaced abutments provided along the outer edge of said bar, a carriage having topand bottom walls snugly slidably engaging the top and bottom surfaces respectively of said bar and having an apertured web spaced outwardly from :said abutments connecting said top and bottom wallsalong the outer :edge of the carriage and said carriage having also .a guide flange at the inner edge of the carriage downturned into the space between said side edge of the board andH-the inner guide surface of the guide bar and slidablyzengaged with saidinnerguide surface, and rotatablemeansjournaled directly .on said carriage top and bottom-wallsl-including knurled wheel means normally bridging two adjacent abutments and an operating wheel projecting'through the aperture in the carriage web for manual rotationto turn said wheel means and thereby move-the'caniage step by step along the guide bar.

2. In a posting -device, a board having awritingsurface, a guide bar secured along a side edge of said board 'having an upper surface "spaced below said board "surface and spaced outwardly from said board side edge to provide an intervening slot, equidistantly spaced abutments provided along the outer edge of said bar, a carriage having a top wall slidably engaging the upper surface of the guide bar with its top surface substantially flush with said board surface, said-carriage top wall having along its inner edge a fiangedownturned intosaid slot and being turned down along its outer edge to provide a web having an aperture therein, .anda carriage bottom'wall extending back toward said boardfrom .the bottom .of said web, and rotatable means journaled directly on said carriage top and bottom walls including knurled wheel means normally bridging two adjacent abutments and an operating wheel projecting through the aperture in the carriage web for manual rotation to turn said wheel means and thereby move the carriagestep by step along the guide bar.

3. In a posting device, a board having a writing surface, a guide bar secured along a side edge of said board and having upper and lower inner edges parallel to said side edge of the board, said upper inner edge being spaced from the side edge of the board to provide an intervening slot, equidistantly spaced abutments provided along the outer edge of said bar, a carriage having top and bottom walls slidably engaging the guide bar, a guide flange downturned from the inner edge of said carriage top wall and slidably received in said slot, a guide flange upturned from the inner edge of said carriage bottom wall and engaged with said lower inner edge of said guide bar, a web connecting the outer edges of said carriage walls and provided with an opening, and rotatable means journaled directly on said top and bottom walls of the carriage including knurled wheel means normally bridging two adjacent abutments and an operating wheel projecting through the opening in said web for manual rotation to turn said wheel means and thereby move the carriage step by step along the guide bar.

4. In a posting device, a boardhaving a writing surface, a guide bar having spaced parallel upper and lower guide flanges connected by a web along their inner edges and having an attachment flange inwardly directed from said web and secured to the under surface of the board to position the web in spaced relation to toe adjacent side edge of the board, equidistantly spaced abutments provided along the outer edges of said guide flanges, a carriage having top and bottom walls slidably engaging said upper and lower guide flanges terminating along their inner edges in inturned flanges slidably engaged with the web of the; guide bar and terminating along their outer edges ina connecting web provided with an opening, and rotatable meansjournalcd directly on said top and bottom walls of the carriage including upper and lower axially spaced knurled wheels each normally bridging two adjacent abutments on said upper and lower guide bar guide flanges respectively and including also an operating wheel projecting through the opening in said connecting web of the carriage for manual rotation to turn said knurled wheels and thereby move the carriage step by step along the guide bar.

5. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which the rotatable means includes an axle journaled in transverse slots in said carriage top and bottom walls and including resilient means seating said axle in the inner ends of said slots and yieldable for movement of the knurled wheel means out of engagement with said abutments.

6. In a posting device, a board having a writing surface, a guide bar secured to said board, projecting from and extending'along a side edge thereof, guide surfaces provided along the inner side of said bar, equidistantly spaced wedge-shape abutments provided along the outer side of said-bar, a carriage having top and bottomwalls snuglyslidably engaging opposite sides of said bar and joined together by'a connecting web spaced outwardly from said abutments, guide flanges provided on said walls slidably engaging said guide surfaces, rotatable means journaled directly on said walls normally bridging two adjacent abutments, resilient means on said carriage yieldably resisting disengagement of said rotatable means from said abutments when the rotatable means is rotated to move said carriage step by step along said bar, said rotatable means including a pair of knurled wheels each normally bridging two adjacent abutments, and an operating wheel interposed between and rotatable with said knurled wheels and having a portion thereof projecting outwardly through an opening in said connecting web, said abutments being arranged in two spaced rows with a portion of the operating wheel projecting between the rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,358 Connor May 27, 1952 2,640,715 Lontz June 2, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 760,426 France Dec. 14, 1933 690,725 Germany May 6, 1940 

